The invention relates to molten metal samplers which retrieve a sample which is suitable for laboratory analysis to determine the content of the melt. Various types of samplers have been developed which form disc-shaped specimens and pin specimens. In addition, a sampler has been developed as illustrated in German laid-open specification No. 28 45 566, which shows a skirt projecting from a thicker sample portion which is suitable for punching out small pellets for later analysis. The pellets are particularly suitable for combustion analysis in an induction furnace. The sampler illustrated in the above German specification has been found to result in significant impurities in the peripheral skirt, and hence the test data is not as representative of the melt as desired. Furthermore, the skirt is difficult to clean preparatory to analysis and the punching of the pellets.